Black metal is arguably enduring its third shift in stance - the first wave being essentially "evil" speed/thrash metal, the second being grimm and frostbitten kvlt metal, and this, the unofficial third wave, being "hiptellectual": Gorgoroth meets Jefferson Airplane or Pink Floyd or Radiohead or something...

Finally a worthwhile blackgaze album that doesn't feature Neige! Deafheaven's debut is as beautiful as it is barbaric, adding in some majestic post-metal ambience for the sake of a truly depressive, majestic journey. Highly recommended for fans of Alcest and company.

I think this sounds more like Fen rather than Alcest, it has the same BM approach and almost reaches the same density and depth . I liked it

Kenos - 13.05.2011 at 14:50

Listening to it right now.
I think I'm gonna fall in love with this album very soon.

Daydream Nation - 16.05.2011 at 19:15

Oooh Language Games-- any sign of a reference to Wittgenstein?
This baby has officially excited my philosophical tendencies...and it sounds like Fen supposedly. I'm about to listen.

Daydream Nation - 17.05.2011 at 01:15

Double post-- sorry about this.This album is simply incredible. This replaces Fen's Epoch as my new favourite album this year. Noisy segments, excellent drumming and ambitious; the vocals are also excellent. I actually bought the album today in store, and I'm so glad I did. Although I wouldn't say it sounds like Alcest/Fen/Amesoeurs or any one of those bands-- interesting sound on its own.

Kenos - 17.05.2011 at 12:20

Written by Guest on 17.05.2011 at 01:15

I wouldn't say it sounds like Alcest/Fen/Amesoeurs or any one of those bands-- interesting sound on its own.

Yep, but it surely sounds like Lantlôs' ".neon" concerning drumming, shrieking vocals, major chords... That's really the first thing I thought while listening to the first minutes of "Violet" (and almost all the rest of the album as well).
But the music here is far from being a mere copycat. Very personal and thoughtful indeed.

Daydream Nation - 17.05.2011 at 17:39

Written by Guest on 17.05.2011 at 12:20

Written by Guest on 17.05.2011 at 01:15

I wouldn't say it sounds like Alcest/Fen/Amesoeurs or any one of those bands-- interesting sound on its own.

Yep, but it surely sounds like Lantlôs concerning drumming, shrieking vocals, major chords... That's really the first thing I thought while listening to the first minutes of "Violet" (and almost all the rest of the album as well).
But the music here is far from being a mere copycat. Very personal and thoughtful indeed.

That is INTERESTING. I have not heard anything from that band before, so I guess I should check them out.
Yes, that was a really good choice of words. "Personal and thoughtful" music indeed. Surprising, since the CD insert states that this album was recorded over a 4 day span from December 2010 to January 2011. It does, as you state, feel fully thought out and this is a sign of musical genius if a record with this maturity was composed in 4 fucking days!

Fantastic, this album is beautiful. If I could ever have my own 'mystical dream cloud' to ride around on, I would definately put this album on.

Indeed, that's what drew me to this in the first place (and inspired me to compare them with the likes of Alcest) - it's the "fantasy" approach to their music. It just takes you somewhere else amazing and it's beautifully done.

No official opinion on this album yet, but as far as their image is concerned... They *look* like the Joy Division of black metal. Singer totally has this Ian Curtis thing going on from pics I've seen. XD

So, I watched the couple live sets these guys have on YouTube, and I'm not sure I understand the "hipster" label douchebags are throwing on them. Like seriously. They are just dudes being dudes playing music. Just because they are clean-cut and didn't dress up to play black metal makes them "hip"? Bah. The music is pretty raw and sincere, and that's all that matters anyway. And if anything, their non-existent "image" is more proof how honest the music actually is. >_>

So, I watched the couple live sets these guys have on YouTube, and I'm not sure I understand the "hipster" label douchebags are throwing on them. Like seriously. They are just dudes being dudes playing music. Just because they are clean-cut and didn't dress up to play black metal makes them "hip"? Bah. The music is pretty raw and sincere, and that's all that matters anyway. And if anything, their non-existent "image" is more proof how honest the music actually is. >_>

Precisely. Black metal, possibly more so than other forms of metal, is more about the philosophy than the sound, more about the ideology than the talent. Corpse paint and bullet belts and carrying around goat heads used to be what was a major "fuck off" to the mainstream, because it was about defying rules. People on the outside looked on with disgust and judged the scene for its apparent lack of civility. People killed each other, burned down churches, worshiped Satan, etc.

Now, this new generation of black metal bands are just improving upon that same theory. Fuck the rules, and by that, I mean fuck what has become mainstream of black metal. Not by writing another poorly produced minimalistic black metal opus about grim and frostbitten kingdoms, but by moving on from the stereotypes that black metal musicians created for themselves 20 years ago.

They aren't in some way conforming to a style that caters to a Bieber-esque fanbase. They still play black metal. The only difference is there is a more significant focus on the music, which in turn gives the philosophical and ideological aspects a major boost, and the way they dress is simply a fuck you to the likes of Abbath and Gaahl.

(I'm not saying I think old school black metal is in any way a joke. It's my favorite style, especially considering its initial push against the mainstream. I just happen to like this new movement as well.)

This turned out to be a slow burner of an album for me. At first it did not manage to leave any sort of impression whatsoever and I could not put my finger on why that was. But gradually the more I listened to it, the more I felt the greatness of it.

Written by Nosurper on 18.03.2012 at 03:19Thanks troy, you're review encouraged me to purchase. Great, great review

I'm actually really not a fan of the review, but thanks for the compliment. And glad you decided to purchase it.

It's Fenriz on Prozac, searching for happiness in the music, in the melodies, digging through the dirt of daily life only to find a bottomless pit. It's a black hole made up of the world's negativity. It's a beacon of hope. It's nothingness. It's essence.

It's a road to Judah.

This grabbed me. Oddly, like a battle cry...to purchase this record

BlueMobius - 23.03.2012 at 23:49

Saw this album performed live (Except for the last track) last night in Orlando when I went to the Deafheaven and Alcest show. I already had the CD so I knew the quality of the music, but man they were so good live too! They were friendly chaps too.